


He Knows For Sure

by sunshineflying



Series: tshaw and evie [5]
Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Kid Fic, M/M, Minor Liam Payne/Sophia Smith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-14
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-04-20 20:06:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4800548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineflying/pseuds/sunshineflying
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick and Louis are moving on with their lives as a couple, which means things like figuring out how Nick fits into the family when Briana's still a factor, and whether or not to have more kids. After their brief talk about it, Louis and Nick have got to sort it all out -- and hope that Evie handles it well, too.</p><p>The next installment in the TShaw and Evie verse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He Knows For Sure

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks again to Jen for being my lovely beta and Brit-pick! You're wonderful!
> 
> Thank you as well to my Paylinshaw crew for encouraging me and helping me sort this fic out when it felt like too much to take on. You all are so great!
> 
> Enjoy. xx

It’s nearly dawn by the time Nick’s satisfied with the state of their new home. They’d hired people to do the moving, naturally, because they’re bringing a lot of stuff from both Nick’s and Louis’s flats. Once it was at the house, they had a bigger problem – putting it where they wanted it.

Louis’s mum took Evie for the weekend, so they could sort out the home without a three year old running around all day, feeling antsy and anxious because she has no playroom yet, no toys unpacked. Harry couldn’t make it to help them move, but Liam and Niall agreed right away. Zayn was busy with his own stuff – his breakup with Perrie and a really great opportunity for a new record with some big-name collaborators – so they took the team they could get.

Liam brought along Sophia and Louis’s sisters Lottie and Fizzy offered to help, and Nick recruited a few friends of his own. With the promise of copious amounts of pizza, they managed to at least get the furniture and boxes into the correct rooms. The movers could’ve done it, but Nick and Louis had to make up their minds first.

And they argued about _everything_ in the process.

They argued over whose furniture would go in the main lounge. (Nick’s)

They argued over whose dishes to keep. (Nick’s)

They argued over whose bed to use in the master bedroom. (Louis’s)

But one thing they managed to agree wholeheartedly on was that it was time for Evie to move up to a big girl bed, and for the cot to go in the pale green room in anticipation for their baby.

They’d begun the process, but it was a lengthy one, doing examinations and flipping through books and books of eligible egg donors – and separate books of willing (and discreet) surrogates.

The actual process of fertilizing the egg hasn’t happened yet, but they know it will. They’re determined to have this baby, so the room will be put together for one.

Nick hates waiting, but Louis hates it more. He’s impatient like Nick’s never seen him before. Nick was very grateful that they could move into the home almost right away – it proves as a nice distraction whilst the surrogacy things move on at a snail’s pace.

Boxes line the walls of every room, nothing but their bedroom furniture pieced together. They’d argued about that, too, how to put the bed back together because neither of them disassembled it and when Louis bought it, someone else put it together for him whilst he was away on tour.

By the time they finish, sunlight is creeping out over the horizon, and Nick and Louis are both standing by the bed, staring, like they’re not sure if they should go to sleep or just press on into the next day.

“Niiiick,” Louis whines.

They’re on a sugar rush of tea and coffee, a less than intelligent idea they’d had in the wee hours of the night when they were ready to crash but didn’t have a bed to sleep on. Granted, they still don’t have sheets or a duvet, but they have the mattress and pillows and that’s enough for them.

“I’m not going to be able to sleep now,” Nick says, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Then why’d we put this together?”

Louis looks frustrated, but Nick knows he’s not actually upset. The more time they spend together, the easier it is for him to figure out when Louis is truly angry, versus just pretending to be angry.

Nick laughs. “I can think of at least one reason, and it’s an awfully good one,” he smirks.

At first Louis just narrows his eyes, like he doesn’t get it, but then he’s rolling his eyes and saying, “That’d be great if we hadn’t packed up that lube we _finally_ bought.”

And Louis would have a point, except that Nick was thinking ahead. They’d talked about it a lot, finally taking advantage of an Evie-less weekend so they could have some time to themselves.

It’s shocking to Nick, who’s never been one for monogamy _or_ taking it slow, that he’s settling down before ever having had intercourse with Louis at all. He’d always just assumed it was this thing he’d do before he got married, like a test run, but now he already knows he wants Louis, forever and always, and he doesn’t quite care when it happens because quick blowies in the bathroom or a handjob in the morning before dashing off to work is just fine with him.

“Good thing you’re dating a genius,” Nick says as he picks up the one lone duffel bag they’d packed to get them through the first few days in their new home. He rifles through the pocket and tosses the lube and a condom out onto the bed.

Louis raises an eyebrow, but Nick never falters. He knows Louis is impressed whether he’ll actually admit it or not. “So… what do you say?” Nick asks, raising one eyebrow in question.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Louis shrugs casually. He tugs off his shirt and sits down on the bed, smirking as he leans back against the headboard. “We’ve already been up all night. I’m awfully tired.”

“Bollocks,” Nick laughs.

He climbs onto the bed and in one swift grab, puts his arm around Louis’s waist and moves them so Louis is straddling him on the bed. “Let’s get on with it, then,” Louis says smugly, his eyes dancing.

Nick smiles and shakes his head, because Louis can be so insufferable sometimes, but then he’s leaning down for a slow, dirty kiss, all teeth and tongue, and the room suddenly feels much warmer and he’s desperate for more. Louis laughs into the kiss at how wantonly Nick kisses him, and the soft noises that come from his lips, and Nick gives his bum a little smack.

“Alright, alright, fine,” Louis teases. “I guess I want you.”

“How generous,” Nick replies, a hand sliding down the back of Louis’s trousers.

It isn’t until the sun is fully above the horizon that they wear out and tuck into bed, satisfied and happier than ever.

\----

Louis doesn’t enjoy using his fame to his advantage, most of the time. When it comes to the baby though, he’s glad he can pull some strings and get this surrogacy business on the road as fast as possible. They’re prepared, mentally and financially, and even though the process is still lengthy, it’s exciting when they find out that the baby has been conceived, that there’s a baby on the way and it’s all theirs.

Once the doctor confirms that they’re past the twelve week mark, that the baby is in good health and so is the surrogate, and that the risk of miscarriage is significantly lower, they decide to tell Evie.

“Come on, love,” Louis says as they lead Evie – his nearly four year old ball of sunshine – down to the pale green room where her cot has been.

She’s confused at first, as to why she’s been brought to this room with her old cot when she’s quite accustomed to her big girl bed, and she looks up at Louis and asks, “Daddy, do I need to sleep in the cot again? I’m a big girl.”

Evie looks petulant, and Louis tries to do damage control by shaking his head. “No, you don’t need the cot. You’re a very big girl,” he reassures her.

She runs to the cot and looks through the wooden panels. “Evie, love,” Nick begins, kneeling down so he’s eye level with her. “Do you know who sleeps in cots?”

“Babies, duh!” she says.

Louis smiles as he asks, “Well, do you know why we’ve kept this cot, if you’re all grown up?”

Evie shrugs and runs over to the old chest of baby toys, all the things she’s outgrown, and asks, “Why’d we keep these, daddy?” Her attention span has been rather short recently, and Nick finds it endlessly endearing.

She doesn’t look up from the old toys, so Louis walks over to get her. “Come on, sweetheart, Nick and I have something very important to tell you,” he says. “We want your full attention, alright?”

He sits down on the floor, cross legged, and pulls Evie to his lap. Her hair is getting long and unruly, and he has to push it out of her face so he can look at her properly.

“Are we getting a baby doll to put in the cot?” she asks bluntly.

Nick laughs. “Not quite,” he tells her. “We’re getting a baby. A living, breathing baby.”

“Like Auntie Sophie is having?” Evie asks eagerly, like she’s just remembered something very important.

Louis’s eyes bug out and Nick looks taken aback. “What?” Louis asks, stunned.

“Yeah!” Evie says excitedly. “Sophie says she’s only sick because there’s a baby in her tummy!”

Nick recalls hearing Liam talk about Sophia being sick the past weekend when they’d taken care of Evie so Louis and Nick could have a date night, but never once did they mention a baby. In fact, Liam had gone so far as to assume – and tell Louis and Nick as much – that it was just too much cake tasting in preparation for their wedding.

“Excuse me for a moment,” Louis says as he stands and fishes his mobile out of his pocket.

Evie stands where she’d just been sitting with her father and looks at Nick, a little scared, as she asks, “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, love, of course not,” Nick reassures her. He reaches out for her, and she walks to him and sits in his lap, still looking nervous. “No, it’s just that babies are exciting things to tell your friends and family about, and daddy’s hurt that Uncle Liam and Auntie Sophie didn’t tell him. You’re not in trouble at all, don’t you worry.”

Evie curls up against his chest and says, “Oh. Okay.”

“Come on,” he says, “We need to get that smile back on your beautiful face.” Nick tickles her tummy, and then once she’s squirming and fighting a smile like she’s been known to do – like Louis sometimes does – he pauses and looks down at her. “I think you’re going to be the best big sister in the world.”

Her big, bright blue eyes focus on him as it hits her, what they were talking about earlier. What a baby means. “Sister? Like Auntie Lottie is Daddy’s sister?”

Nick smiles. “Exactly! Except you’ll be the older one,” he says. “Would you like that?”

“Will it cry?” she asks, pulling a face.

“Well, yes, but only for a while, and only because they’re very hungry or have a dirty nappy,” Nick explains. “I’m absolutely positive that it’ll love you loads and loads.”

Evie preens at the compliment, and she curls up against Nick’s chest again as they sit there in the middle of the pale green room. Nick looks around and feels his heart swell at the thought that in about six months, there will be a tiny little human who lives in this room and is all his and Louis’s to love and raise. It almost seems too good to be true. Nick’s still not sure what he did to deserve it.

Louis comes back a few minutes later and sees Evie curled up against Nick looking a little unsure of herself. He frowns and kneels down in front of them and says, “I’m sorry, Eves. I’m not angry with you, I promise.”

She stares blankly at him for a moment and Nick’s heart races in his chest because he doesn’t want anyone to be upset when they should be celebrating. Evie slowly peels herself from Nick’s lap to go sit with Louis. “I’m going to be a big sister,” she says as she sits on his lap instead.

“Yes, you are,” Louis agrees. “And you’re going to be the most amazing big sister ever.”

“That’s what Grammy said,” she says.

Louis smiles. “I guess he can be smart sometimes, huh?”

“Oi!”

Evie giggles, and Nick feels like he can relax. This is good. They’re happy. Evie is happy. He’d been worried, at first, because Evie is strong-willed and outspoken and what if she hadn’t wanted a sibling?

He feels flooded with relief with the knowledge that Evie is as happy about this as they are.

\----

They learn quickly that somehow, if it’s even possible, Evie is even more impatient than her father, by double. After telling her the news of the baby, she asks daily when it’s going to arrive. The answer is always the same – not for months – but then she pouts and says it’s unfair because she wants a baby _now_ , and Nick wishes he could give her everything he wants, but that’s not how it works.

She has even more questions every time she comes home from hanging out at Liam and Sophia’s place, because just as Evie mentioned to them previously, there’s a baby on the way there, too.

Louis and Nick are excited for them, as good friends would be, but at the same time it’s upsetting to them because Evie compares the two pregnancies whether she realizes it or not. One day she came home and patted Louis’s tummy asking where the baby was in his tummy, because she’d been talking to Sophia’s baby bump all afternoon.

Nick knows there was no ill will anywhere – Liam and Sophia were definitely _not_ expecting to bring a baby into the world at this point in their lives – but it’s tough to watch because Evie’s so confused sometimes. She worries that their baby isn’t coming because her daddy and her Grammy don’t have a bump like Sophia. She has so many questions that he’s not equipped to answer.

On a whim one day after a routine appointment to check in with the surrogate, Nick asks, “Would you like to come for tea sometime?”

Their surrogate, Paige, looks incredibly confused. Louis does, too.

“It’s just that… Evie, Louis’s daughter, you know… she keeps asking about the baby. Worrying, I guess, because our friends are having a baby too, and she’s used to seeing Sophia’s baby bump. And well, neither of us have one,” Nick explains awkwardly. “She’s worried the baby won’t come. So… maybe you could put her at ease?”

Paige’s expression softens, and she twirls a strand of her caramel coloured hair around her finger as she nods. “Sure, I can do that. When should I come over?” she asks.

Nick feels relieved, knowing that Evie’s going to understand now that their baby is safe and healthy. Louis holds his hand on the ride home and says, “Good thinking.”

As it turns out, seeing Paige was all Evie needed to understand. “So only girls can have the babies?” she asks that evening as she brushes the hair on her baby doll. She’s only asked it a million times, both before and after Paige left.

“Yes, love,” Louis nods. “That’s how you happened. Your mummy had you.”

Evie’s face screws up in confusion and she asks, “Mummy?”

“Yes, love. Remember how you go to America sometimes? To see her?” Louis prompts.

But Evie hasn’t been out there in a while. Last time it was her chance to see Briana, she’d been with a babysitter most of the time because Briana had to work. Being a stylist to celebs is a full-time job, time-consuming and all that, and she’d apologized profusely when she brought Evie back to Louis. That had been nine months ago, and she hasn’t seen her since.

“Oh,” Evie nods. “Okay.”

Louis wishes he could do something about it, but they’ve got their arrangement. It works well enough, though he feels awful, like he should have been doing something more to make sure Evie knows her mum.

All the questions about their baby and Sophia and Liam’s baby disappear after a while, because Evie is bored with waiting. The only time she likes to talk about the baby now is when they’re shopping for baby items. Nick and Louis decided they want to be surprised when the baby comes, as far as gender goes, because as Louis had so eloquently put it: “Who fucking cares? We’ll love them no matter what.”

He’d never been one for dressing Evie up in all pink, anyway. Nick can’t blame him. Gender roles have always baffled him.

So they decorate the pale green room with white furniture and get some new toys and blankets to add to their collection of hand-me-downs from Evie. “We don’t _need_ these, you know that, right?” Nick says as they pack Evie’s old things in bins sorted by size. It’s the most organized he’d ever seen Louis. He’s almost certain that means he’s nervous.

“I know,” Louis shrugs. “But there’s no point in being wasteful. This is what my family did. Besides, Evie will probably love seeing the baby in her old clothes.”

“I’m getting rid of anything even mildly crusty, though,” Nick says, tossing an old BabyGro at Louis that, despite being cleaned just that afternoon, still felt stiff from too much baby sick back when Evie was little.

Louis looks down at the tiny little piece of clothing and instead of agreeing or disagreeing, just says, “I can’t believe Evie used to be this tiny.”

Nick sets down what he’s working on, because he knows that tone in Louis’s voice. He’s seconds away from getting emotional, a trait he will vehemently deny. “I know,” Nick agrees, touching the tiny little garment. “I remember when she used to wear this.” It shocks him, how long he’s actually been around Evie, because it doesn’t feel all that long. “She was sick the whole time she cut her teeth, the poor thing.”

Louis looks up at Nick, a fierce look in his eyes, as he says, “You’ve… yeah.” He can’t articulate what he wants to say and it’s frustrating for him. “It’s just --,” Louis’s gaze drops back down to the tiny BabyGro and he says, “You’re her parent, too. You and me. Not me and Briana.”

“In reality, yes,” Nick concedes. “But on paper? Not really. But I don’t mind.”

“I do.”

Louis’s voice is firm, even though his eyes are wet and he looks a little sad. Nick watches him closely; he hadn’t realized he was going to set Louis off like this over one little piece of clothing. Nick rubs his hand up and down Louis’s back as he gives him time to process. As much as Nick would like to prod, he’s not going to because Louis has been fraught lately over something that he’s not been willing to talk about.

“I want you to adopt her. I – you deserve it,” Louis says, his voice firm. “You’ve been here for so much. She’s been sick on you more than Briana. You’ve changed more nappies than her. You’ve taken days off work just to take care of her when she’s ill. You’re – _you’re_ her parent, too.”

Nick presses a soft kiss to Louis’s temple and wraps his arm around his waist. “I am, love, and I’d be so bloody honoured to adopt her,” he whispers. “But it’s not up to me.”

Louis sighs and closes his eyes. “What if she says no? What if Briana isn’t okay with that?”

“Then we’ll keep on as we’ve been doing,” Nick replies simply. “I’ll love her and care for her like she’s my own daughter no matter what a piece of paper says.”

And it really would be enough for Nick, of that he’s sure, but sometimes he worries. He worries what’s going to happen if Evie’s really poorly and ends up in hospital. The doctors wouldn’t be able to let him in, to let him find out what’s wrong with her, and what if it happens whilst Louis is away? He doesn’t want to wait for it to happen to find out.

“I’m going to ask her,” Louis says as he sets down the BabyGro. He fumbles in his pocket and when he pulls out his phone, he says, “I have to do it. Now. It… it has to happen.”

Nick grabs Louis’s arm as he makes to leave the room, and he pulls him back for a kiss. “It’ll be okay, no matter what she says, alright? I mean it,” he insists.

Louis nods and steels himself for this phone call he’s got to make. The one he’s terrified to make.

As he does, Nick goes back to sorting through baby clothes to put in bins in the closet, heart thrumming hard in his chest because he’s so, so nervous about what Louis will say when he’s finished his call.

He doesn’t hear Louis come in, just feels him as he stands behind him and wraps his arms around his waist. He’s laying his head on Nick’s back and takes a deep breath before he says weakly, “She said she’d do it. She’d sign off on the adoption.”

Nick’s eyes widened because he hadn’t really entertained the thought of what he’d do if she said yes, because he was so sure she’d say no. Nick turns around and looks down at Louis in shock. “She did? She’s… what?” he stammers. “I’m…”

“You can adopt Evie,” Louis says. His voice sounds weak, like he’s still scared Nick wouldn’t, as he says, “If – you know, if you wanted to.”

“Don’t be daft,” Nick whispers as he leans in to give Louis a little kiss. “Of course I want to. I love her.”

Louis pulls Nick close in a hug, and Nick’s astounded as he takes in everything Louis has gone through in the past four years. Evie’s growing right before his eyes, and her mum’s been halfway around the globe, and throughout it all he’s been trying his hardest not to worry whilst integrating Nick into their lives.

And now they’re six weeks away from welcoming another child into their home.

It’s a lot for Louis, and Nick’s quite overwhelmed by it as well, but everything is coming together. They’ve not really had to deal with any obstacles so far – Nick takes it as a good sign. They’re meant to have this family together.

Briana flies out two weeks later, just a month before the baby comes, and they all meet in a stuffy lawyer’s office in downtown London. Louis has been fidgety and tetchy all morning, snipping at Nick over the temperature of his tea or how long he’s is taking to get ready, but Nick’s nervous. He’s never met Briana before, doesn’t know what she thinks of him, doesn’t know her true thoughts about Nick raising her daughter for her, with Louis.

The papers themselves are easy enough. The lawyer has sorted everything, said that they all agree to allow Briana her time with Evie, if and when she’s available to have her, and Briana signs over her parental rights. Then it’s Nick’s turn to sign, stating that he’s adopting Evie, becoming her legal guardian.

He takes a deep breath and tries not to let his hand shake too much as he signs the papers.

When he’s finished, he realizes: he’s just gotten a child. One simple signature has done the trick. He’s so happy he could cry.

Louis looks worse for wear, almost like he could be sick, and he disappears right after the meeting. That leaves Nick and Briana standing awkwardly in the conference room. They stand in silence and Nick feels like he should say something, but he doesn’t know what.

“Thank you.”

Briana is fumbling with her purse, clearly nervous, but she’s watching Nick with the sort of steeled determination he vaguely recognizes, thanks to Evie.

“For what?” Nick asks. He hopes it’s not because he’s just taken Evie off her hands, legally.

She stands and walks around the table to stand next to Nick, where he’s pushing in his chair. “For taking care of her,” she replies. “I… I hate that I don’t feel like her mum,” she admits. Her eyes look wet and Nick’s heart aches. “It’s just never been there for me. Louis was the only one getting excited over sonograms. He was the only one who ever felt the urge to talk to her before she was born. I… I don’t know why I’m like this.”

“It’s alright,” Nick insists. “Honestly. You’re not the first mum who’s felt that way, I’m sure.”

Briana looks sad, and she nods. “Anyway, I’m… I’m glad she has the both of you. She deserves that, you know? Parents to be there for her,” Briana says.

Nick studies her for a moment, sees the way this has been eating at her for years. He hadn’t even considered how Briana might feel about it all. It had been his assumption that she just didn’t want Evie, but it’s clear to him now: she loves her, she truly does, she just doesn’t feel that motherly instinct. She wants to have it, but it’s just not there.

The poor girl looks close to tears.

Nick pulls her into a hug and says, “You can still see her, you know. Just give us a ring and we’ll sort something out.”

Briana’s quiet and faintly Nick hears a sniffle. _Oh Christ,_ he thinks. _I’ve made her cry._ He lets her take a few moments to herself, and then he rubs her back and says, “I promise I’m going to take care of her.”

“Take care of both of them, alright?” Briana says as she separates herself from Nick, wiping desperately at her eyes with the sleeve of her grey jumper. “Please.”

Nick nods. It all feels so serious, so formal, but he nods, “I promise. They’re in good hands.”

Briana gives him a soft, wet smile as she says, “I know. Thank you.”

She leaves the room before Nick can get a word in edgewise. Louis returns a few moments later looking worse for wear, and Nick’s so glad they’ve sent Evie off with Niall and Bressie for the weekend. Louis looks like he could use massive amounts of cuddling, Bakeoff, and crisps.

Naturally, Evie has no idea anything has happened, and they keep it that way. She’s content with the way things are, and Nick’s not really sure how or when to bring up the fact that he’d happily allow her to call him dad or papa or whatever she wants.

Evie is far more excited about the baby, now that there are bottles waiting on the counter and a carrier seat by the door, ready for when the baby arrives. She totes her own baby doll around, telling Louis and Nick that she’s practicing.

Mere hours after they’ve gotten the call from Liam that Sophia’s gone into labor, Louis’s phone rings again.

They’ve been jumpy all evening, knowing any minute now, Paige could go into hospital because she’s due two days after Sophia. It’s close, it’s a waiting game, and neither of them are feeling particularly patient.

He answers the phone and his eyes go wide. Nick sits up straighter on the sofa, worried. “Yeah – of course. We’ll be right there. Thank you,” he nods.

Louis rings off and looks at Nick, shell-shocked. “The baby’s coming. She’s pushing right now.”

“She didn’t call sooner!?” Nick asks in a panic.

Louis scrambles to text off messages to several of their friends, in hopes that someone can watch Evie at such short notice.

 _just take her with you. i’m in la_ replies Harry.

 _but i’m visiting soph and li !_ says Niall.

Nick grumbles when Louis tells him, and he asks, “What if she’s not patient? And… _Christ_ , she’s still napping. She’s going to be a nightmare if we wake her.”

Louis shakes his head and says, “We’ve got no other choice.”

Nick goes upstairs to Evie’s room to scoop her up from her bed, taking care not to jostle her too much. He doesn’t want to wake her, if possible. Louis has put together everything they’ll need for her – a change of clothes, some snacks, a sippy cup of Ribena and a water bottle just in case, and then he looks into the bag, at the tiny little BabyGro they’ve gotten for the baby, and a pacifier and a bottle and everything else he or she might need.

His heart swells and he feels like he could burst as he puts the bag in the car. “C’mon, Nick, c’mon,” he mutters, waiting impatiently.

Evie is a little fussy as they put her in her car seat, but finally Nick gets the job done and Louis is tearing out of the drive as fast as he can.

He hates getting through the traffic, even though he’s just staying outside of London, and parking is an absolute nightmare. Finally, he pulls up to the doors and says, “Just… go. I’ll be in soon.

“Not without you,” Nick insists.

“You’ve got to carry Evie. Just… wait for me in the lobby or summat,” he says.

It takes Louis forever to find a spot in the car park, but once he does he sprints back to the hospital with the nappy bag over his shoulder. Evie’s awake now, but complacent, curled against Nick. She’s so big now, her legs dangling down to kick him in the knees as he walks, but she’s exhausted and it’s not the time to make her walk. She’ll make too much of a fuss.

The lift seems to take forever as they try to get to the maternity ward, and once they’re there, they have no idea where in the world to go. Nick finds the nearest nurse’s station and asks for Paige, explaining she’s their surrogate.

“Right down here,” the nurse replies, and leads them down the hall. “She’s getting cleaned up right now, as is the baby. They’ll both be here within a few minutes.”

Louis and Nick stand awkwardly outside the door feeling anxious and impatient. The nurse hadn’t even said whether the baby was a boy or a girl.

Their baby is here and Nick is buzzing because this is his _child_ and he can’t wait to hold them. He wants to know what they look like, wants to feel the weight of them in his arms.

Paige is first to arrive to the room, and she looks exhausted. She’s washed up, her hair damp over her shoulders, but she watches them with her bright, clear blue eyes and an exhausted smile on her face. “He’s perfect,” she says. “Congratulations.”

Louis’s jaw drops and Nick murmurs, “He. It’s… Louis, it’s a _boy_. We have a _son._ ”

Louis reaches out to hold Nick’s hand and he nods. He’s speechless and he’s nervous as he waits. Nick’s hand is clammy in his and Evie’s asleep on his shoulder again.

They stand, quiet and eager, until finally a tiny little newborn cot comes rolling down the hall. The baby is making little fussy noises and Nick’s heart is already pounding harder in his chest because even though all he’s heard is the crying, he knows he’s a goner. He already loves their baby more than he ever thought possible.

The nurse pushes the cot to the doorway of Paige’s room, but she’s asleep so instead they’re brought down the hall to a private space – a feeding room – and the nurse allows them a moment to take in the sight of their new baby whilst she goes to get a bottle.

Nick gently lies Evie down on the sofa and covers her with her fleece baby blanket. He completely forgot it, but thankfully Louis remembered.

Then he steps closer to the cot where Louis is looking down at the baby in amazement. “He’s perfect, Nick,” he says, urging Nick to see for himself.

And Louis is totally and utterly correct. Their little baby boy is laying there, eyes blinking wide and blue, and he’s kicking his little limbs in his swaddling as he fusses. “Pick him up,” Louis says.

“But you --,” Nick begins.

“I was the first to hold Evie when she was born,” Louis says. “I know I like attention but come on, he’s yours too.”

“Evie’s mine, too,” Nick amends in a whisper, but he’s reaching out for their son already.

And _God_ , Nick’s heart swells because he barely weighs anything. He’s such a tiny little thing and he’s fussy, but Nick can hold the whole of him in his two hands, head to bum. His legs are kicking in the swaddling and he’s staring up at Nick with the biggest, most adoring look in his eyes, and Nick’s done for. He knows it.

“Which name fits him most?” Nick asks as he sits down, cradling their little one in his arms. He’s staring, awed, as he puts the bottle to his lips and he starts to eat.

They’d discussed names for weeks leading up to this moment – it had been easier than Nick had thought. He and Louis seemed to agree on everything. It was eerie. Louis sits down at his side, watching as their son sucks hungrily at the bottle and eyes them with his puffy, big eyes. “Oliver,” Louis whispers.

Nick nods, and his chest tightens again because that’s what he was thinking too, without Louis even having to say it out loud. He’s not sure what to think about how in tune they are with each other. “Oliver William,” Nick echoes.

Louis lays his head on Nick’s shoulder and smiles fondly as he reaches out to slide his finger into Oliver’s tiny fist. “Hiya, Ollie,” he says softly. “You’re adorable. We love you very much.”

Nick’s so happy he’s not sure how he’s managing to contain himself so well. “He’s so tiny, Lou,” Nick mutters. “I feel like I’m going to break him.”

“You’re doing great,” Louis insists, and kisses Nick’s cheek. “You look so great with him.”

And that does things to Nick, makes him itch for more even though he’s not entirely sure how much more love his heart can hold. Evie, Louis, and Ollie have stolen nearly all of it.

Ollie is back to sleeping just as Evie wakes, and she’s eager to see him and play with him. Nick can tell right away that juggling the two of them is going to be far more difficult than he’d anticipated. “He’s asleep, love,” he’d said as he handed Ollie to Louis.

Evie pouts and screws up her face like she’s about to cry, and Nick reaches out to try to placate her. “It’s alright, Eves,” he insists. “He’s going to sleep a lot. Most of the day. That’s what babies do.”

“But why?” she whines. “I want to play!”

“He’s growing a lot very quickly,” Louis explains. “Look at how big you are. That’s a lot of growing compared to how much I grow, innit?”

She narrows her eyes and crosses her tiny arms in protest. “Not fair!” she complains.

“Hush, love. Don’t wake him,” Nick says, pulling her onto his lap. “Why don’t we go take a visit down the hall to see Auntie Sophie and Uncle Liam, huh? What do you think? Maybe their baby is awake.”

Evie’s eyes grow wide and she asks, “Their baby is here too?!”

Nick smiles and nods. “Yes, love.” He looks up at Louis. “Shall we all go visit? Introduce the One Direction babies that everyone’s going to ship together?”

Louis snorts. “They had better not!” he protests.

Evie asks, “What do ships have to do with babies?”

Louis and Nick laugh so hard they can’t formulate a proper answer.

They’re barely in the hallway before Niall’s in their space, crowding close to get a good look at the baby. “Well? Boy or girl? We’re dyin’ to know!” he pleads.

Louis tugs Ollie closer to his chest and says, “You’ll just have to wait and see. We’re going to visit Soph and Payno.”

“She’s beautiful,” Niall says. “They made a good one. Looks like you lot did, too. Fuck, how does he look like both of you? How is that possible?”

“Niall!” Louis chides. He holds out a hand as he says, “Language!”

Niall grumbles under his breath as he fetches a quid from his pocket and hands it to Louis. Nick laughs – he’d thought Louis had forgotten that swear jar for a moment. “We found a good egg donor,” Louis answers eventually.

“She was basically Louis in female form. We’d’ve been stupid not to choose her,” Nick explains.

They tiptoe into Sophia’s hospital room where she’s sitting up against the pillows, exhausted but happy. “You look great,” Louis says, leaning in to give her the best hug he can with a newborn tucked against his chest.

Liam’s holding the baby, and Louis makes his way there next as Sophia smiles at Evie and asks her about her day. “They won’t let me play with Ollie,” she pouts.

“Oh love,” Sophia says with a fond smile. “Why don’t you come sit with me? We’ll introduce you to Madeline.”

“Mad’lynn?” Evie asks. “Who’s that?”

Sophia laughs. “That’s the name of the baby that was in _my_ tummy,” she explains.

“So many babies!” Evie groans.

Louis gets nigh but a glance at their baby before Liam’s lowering her into Sophia’s arms. “Madeline, huh? That’s an awfully posh name, Payno,” Louis teases.

“It’s adorable, and it suits her,” Liam argues, like he’s got something to prove.

“Lighten up, mate,” Louis says. “It’s a nice name for her. She’s beautiful.”

Liam looks at the tiny baby in Louis’s arms and says, “He is, too. He, right?” Louis nods. “What’s his name?”

“Oliver,” Nick explains. “Ollie William.”

“Oliver William Grimshaw,” Louis says, testing out the way it feels to say it. He quite likes it.

Nick stares, because they hadn’t talked surnames much, they just knew that theirs were long and hyphenating them would be a giant pain in the arse. He quite likes the ring of it, Oliver William Grimshaw. It’s got a nice ring to it, just as Evelyn Johannah Tomlinson does.

His little family. His babies.

He’s so happy he could burst, all over again, and Louis senses it. His solution is to put a baby back in Nick’s arms, so he walks to where he’s seated on the bed by Evie’s feet, and says, “Alright, Ollie. Back to Papa.”

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, Evie is huffing and crossing her arms. It’s her favourite thing to do when she’s upset, cross her arms, and this was the most dramatic display of it that Nick has ever seen. “What’s the matter, love?” he asks.

“Not Papa, Grammy!” she protests.

The room goes awkwardly silent.

Nick swallows hard and says, “Well, Eves… you see…”

But he doesn’t know what to say. He wasn’t prepared to have this talk yet. He wasn’t sure he’d ever have to. Tense and unsure, Nick looks back down at Oliver to try to compose his thoughts.

“Evie, do you know why you call him Grammy?” Louis asks. She shakes her head and eyes him warily. “Well, it’s because I always used to call him by his nickname, Grimmy. It’s short for his surname, Grimshaw.” Evie furrows her brow as she tries to remember everything he says. “His first name is Nick, just as mine is Louis.”

“No, you’re _daddy_!” she says.

“Yes, I’m daddy, too,” Louis nods. “I’m both. And Nick can be both. You can call him Grammy, or you can do just like Ollie and call him Papa.”

“Why Papa?”

Nick swallows hard and holds up his free hand to quiet Louis. He wants to answer this. “Because we’re both your dad, Evie. And Papa is another name you can call your dad,” Nick says. “But I want you to call me whatever you want.”

“But my school friends only have one daddy and one mummy,” Evie says, confused. “Just like Mad’lynn.” Liam opens his mouth to correct her pronounciation, but Niall jabs him with his elbow to stop him. “Why do I have two daddies and no mummy?”

Nick tries to ignore the pain he feels for Briana when Evie says she has no mummy, because that’s not the biggest issue. He doesn’t want to see her confused or upset. It hurts. He wants to help her to understand.

“It’s because families are all different, darling,” Louis explains. “Some kids have two mummies and no daddies, did you know that?” Evie shakes her head. “It’s a special world we live in,” Louis explains. “A world where kids can have any kinds of parents. What matters is that they love them, right?” She nods again, looking unsure of herself. “So then I want you to call Nick whatever you want, okay? But Ollie is probably going to call him Papa.”

Evie nods and looks as though she’s considering it for a moment. Ollie coos, letting the whole room know he’s awake, and Evie questions, “Can I ask Ollie what I should do?”

Nick smiles fondly and Sophia puts her free arm around Evie’s little body to help her hold Ollie. Gently he rests her there but doesn’t let go, uses his arm and the hoodie Niall’s just offered as a way to prop up Evie’s tiny arm so she’s supporting his head. “What should I call him, brother Ollie?” she asks, watching him intently. She brings up a hand to pet his hair and he blinks up at her. He makes a small gurgle noise as his tiny arms flail, and she nods, “Good idea. You’re a smart baby.”

Nobody in the room can fight the smiles on their faces at how unbelievably adorable Evie’s being with her new sibling. She looks up at Nick and says, “I’m going to call you Papa, just like Ollie. He said I should.”

Nick leans in and presses a kiss to the top of her head. “I’d _love_ that, darling.”

Evie preens, and she looks from Ollie in her arms to Madeline over in Sophia’s arms. “Are they going to get married one day, like Auntie Sophie and Uncle Liam are going to do?” she asks.

Louis snorts and nearly doubles over in laughter. “You know, maybe they will,” Sophia says. “But we don’t know who they’re going to love one day. Ollie could love boys and Madeline could love girls. We just have to wait and see.”

“Okay. Maybe they’ll know next year,” Evie concedes.

Nick shakes his head and watches as Louis has to sit down, he’s laughing so hard. Evie is _definitely_ Louis’s daughter.

She grows tired of holding Ollie after just fifteen minutes, and then he’s back in Nick’s arms. Louis and Niall have gone to the canteen to get some food, and Evie’s lying against Sophia’s side and napping with her, which leaves Nick and Ollie sitting in the room next to Liam as he holds little Madeline.

“I can’t believe we’re dads,” Nick says.

“You? You’ve got practice already,” Liam says. “You’ve been around Evie for most of her life.”

Nick shakes his head and laughs a little. “That’s nothing like holding a newborn, let me tell you.” He looks over at Liam and sees how nervous he looks. “You alright?” he asks.

“Proper bricking it,” Liam mumbles. “How’m I supposed to be a dad? Sometimes I don’t even remember to feed _myself_!”

With a fond smile, Nick says, “You’ve got Sophia to help you with that. Besides, they didn’t call you Daddy Direction for nothing.”

“But I didn’t --,”

“Liam,” Nick interrupts. “You’re going to be brilliant. You’ve cared for Evie plenty of times, and you’ve had her for hours now and she’s still in one piece. You’re golden.”

“But… the rest of my _life_ ,” Liam says weakly. “I’m going to worry about her and think about her for the rest of my life.”

Nick smiles. “That’s how I know you’re going to be a brilliant dad,” he says.

Liam looks up at Nick and smiles weakly in return. “Thanks,” he says. He looks back down at little Madeline, who’s sleeping calmly against his chest. “I’ve been meaning to thank you,” he says softly. “For… well, for taking care of Louis. For keeping him sane.”

Nick’s taken aback by Liam’s words, but he nods. “Well, he’s been driving me insane, so maybe the whole insanity thing has fallen onto me, but,” he says, though the joke falls flat. “I love him. I’m always going to want to look after him.”

“And the kids,” Liam adds. “You’re good with them.”

“Yeah, the kids,” Nick nods, and it hits him that Liam’s just said _kids_ \- as in plural – and was referring to their family. It’s still settling on Nick, the fact that he’s got two children now. “I love them all so much.”

“They love you too,” Liam insists. “Even if it seemed like for a minute there, Louis didn’t.”

“He was scared,” Nick explains. He looks down at tiny Ollie in his arms and feels such a protectiveness that he says, “I understand it now. Why he felt that way. I’m scared to let anyone near Ollie because I don’t think I could ever stand to see him hurt, not even for a second.”

“Just do me a favor, alright?” Liam asks. Nick looks up in question. “If it feels right – propose to Louis. He likes to act like he’s in charge and that he’s in control, but he’s always going to be just a bit too scared to get down on one knee for you.” Liam swallows hard. “Not to like, assume things, but… you’re practically married already.”

Nick’s smiling, watching Liam stumble through his words, and he says, “I’ve been thinking about it. I can’t manage to find the right ring, though.”

Liam beams. “Sophia will be more than happy to help you with that once she’s recovered,” he says. “Don’t worry. We’ll help you find it.”

It’s right at that moment when Niall and Louis come sauntering back into the room, and they quiet as soon as they see the girls sleeping on the bed and the babies asleep in their dads’ arms.

Louis sits down next to Nick and asks, “How is he doing?”

“Brilliant,” Nick nods. “He’s an angel.”

“You say that now,” Louis warns. “But just you wait.”

Nick rolls his eyes as he looks over at Louis. “I think if I can handle you and Evie, I can handle anything.”

Louis snorts and leans in to press a kiss to Nick’s lips. “You keep thinking that, darling,” he taunts. “Let me have a turn?” he asks as he reaches down to pick up Ollie.

“Sure,” Nick agrees.

He can do this. He’s fairly certain of it. As long as he has Louis, he can, at least. That he knows for sure.


End file.
